The use of boxes as storage devices is well known, and boxes are used to ship a wide variety of items. Boxes may be used in commerce to transport freight from one location to another, and in the moving industry to protect goods as they travel from one location to another. Boxes are not only used for storage purposes during transit, they are also often used to display items upon arrival at their final destinations. As a result, a variety of box and carton designs exist, with each design addressing certain needs.
Some boxes are designed to safely transport unique cargo. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,717,022 discloses a carton having interior support panels that engage an electric light bulb. This carton not only provides an external cover for the bulb, it also maintains the bulb in a preferred orientation within the carton. Another example of a container designed to hold unique cargo is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,046, which shows a receptacle for the transport, storage and display of plants. The '046 container includes a hydrophillic liner that retains moisture and humidity as the plant is transported.
Other containers are designed specifically to display contents. One example of a container that is especially suited for use as a display device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,291,265. The '265 device provides a foldable container having upper and lower sections, with divided compartments in each section. This device includes overlapping portions that may be adhesively secured to one another, thereby maintaining the shape of the device even when empty. As a result, items may be placed into, and removed from, the above '265 device as needed.
Some cartons are designed for the dual purposes of protecting cargo during shipping and displaying cargo upon arrival. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,957 discloses a divided carton that includes both an enclosed region and an exposed region. Cutouts are included to secure items within the exposed region. With this arrangement, the '957 carton simultaneously provides two sections that may be protected during transit, with one of the sections serving as a display region when the carton reaches its final destination.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,530 also may be used to transport and display goods. The '530 device includes an interior storage region and a hinged lid. When the '530 device is closed, the interior chamber, and the contents therein, are protected. However, the hinged lid has an angled shape that places the interior chamber at a display-facilitating incline when the '530 device is open.
Other containers are useful not only for shipping and displaying cargo, they are also useful for dispensing the items they contain. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,924,823 discloses a compartmented carton with see-through outer walls and a cooperating pair of rotating disks that serve as a lid. Each of the disks includes an aperture, and aligning the apertures allows access to the contents inside the '823 carton.
A variety of boxes and containers exists. Many excel in certain areas, while falling short in others. For example, although some boxes provide excellent protection during shipment, they are not useful for displaying the items contained therein. These boxes require transfer of cargo to a designated display device upon arrival. Other devices are useful for display purposes, but are too flimsy to provide protection during shipment. Still other devices may sufficiently protect items during shipment and subsequently allow display of the goods contained therein. Unfortunately access to the items displayed by these containers is only possible by dismantling the container. Still other containers are shipment-and-display-worthy, and even provide convenient access to the items contained therein. These devices, however, are typically assembled with adhesives and may not be easily assembled by an end user who wishes to ship and display goods of his own.
Thus, what is needed is a modular, divided container that includes the advantages of the known devices while addressing the shortcomings they exhibit. The container should be easy to assemble without the need for tools or adhesives. The device should also protect items placed therein and provide a variety of separate compartments to hold different types of items. The container should also allow removal of items placed therein without reducing the structural integrity of the container. The device should also be formed from components that may be shipped flat and assembled just prior to use, at any location desired. The device should include an interior chamber that may be selectively covered, thereby providing a region with heightened concealment and security properties. The device should also include interchangeable components that may be selected and changed according to desired appearance without requiring the removal of contents or dismantling of the device.